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November is National Home Care and Hospice Month

December 3, 2020

During November, the National Association for Home Care (NAHC) encourages all communities to celebrate National Home Care and Hospice Month, honoring the millions of nurses, home care aides, therapists, and social workers who make a difference for the patients and families they serve.

Home Health and Hospice Group Shot
Blake Nelson
Blake Nelson

“For the aged, disabled or ill, staying in the homes they know and love can become increasingly difficult unless they can get services they need to support them,” says Blake Nelson, director of Hamilton Home Health.

Home health care is medical care that is appropriate for people suffering from chronic illness or recovering from acute injury or illness who need skilled care to remain at home. Services include medication management, wound care, physical therapy, occupational therapy and other skilled services provided by licensed individuals. Some patients qualify for additional services such as home health aides and medical social workers when necessary to support skilled services.

Care requires a physician’s order and requires that the patient be under the care of a physician. Most insurers also require that the patient be homebound, meaning the patient only leaves home infrequently and it is very difficult to do so.

Home health care can be mistaken for personal or companion care (or non-medical care), which includes transportation, errands, light housekeeping, meal preparation and assistance with activities of daily living. Private sitters and some private and government agencies provide this type of care.

When a disease process has become terminal and patients and families are ready to shift the focus of care from curative treatment to comfort care and symptom control, hospice care allows patients to remain in familiar surroundings at the end of life. Hospice care provides support and education to the patient’s family during the patient’s time on hospice and for a specified time after the death of the patient.

Hospice provides four levels of care, including routine home care, respite care, general inpatient care and continuous home care. These levels are determined based on the patient’s needs and can be provided in the home, in a nursing home or assisted living facility or, in some cases, in the hospital.

Lauren Jones - Hamilton
Lauren Jones

“Choosing to receive hospice care does not mean you are giving up hope or that death is imminent. Hospice care allows the patient to live every day to the fullest,” says Lauren Jones, administrator and clinical manager for Hamilton Hospice. “The earlier someone receives hospice care, the more opportunity there is to stabilize his or her medical condition and address other needs. Some patients actually improve and may be discharged from hospice care.

Jones says one of the biggest fears of terminally ill patients is losing control of making their own decisions. “Utilizing a hospice program allows the patient and their loved ones to voice their opinions and concerns while being a part of creating their own plan of care with our interdisciplinary team as a whole,” she says.

Hospice focuses on comfort, dignity and emotional support.

“The quality of life for the patient, but also family members and others, who are caregivers, is the highest priority,” says Jones.

Hospice is appropriate when patients with a life-limiting illness discover that continued aggressive disease treatment is no longer effective, beneficial or desired.  

“This type of care not only ensures that symptoms are managed and medications and equipment are provided, but it also supports families and assists them in dealing with the emotional and physical strain that can accompany end-of-life situations,” Jones says.

Hospice care is a benefit of Medicare and most private insurers as long as the patient continues to meet the necessary criteria. The benefit pays for all care, equipment (including hospital beds and oxygen) and medications associated with the patient’s terminal diagnosis. Hamilton Hospice is committed to caring for all patients, regardless of an individual’s ability to pay.

Patients may revoke their hospice benefit at any time if they feel the need to resume more aggressive care. Patients can also re-enroll in hospice as their condition worsens.

For more information, please visit hamiltonhealth.com/services or call Hamilton Home Health at 706-226-2848 or Hamilton Hospice at 706-278-2848.

Home health and hospice are part of the continuum of services that are provided by Hamilton Health Care System, which also includes hospital care, cardiovascular services, rehabilitation and wellness, ambulatory infusion, cancer care, behavioral health, long-term care, wound care and others.


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Filed Under: Excellence at Hamilton, News Tagged With: hamilton health care system, home health, hospice, National Association for Home Care

Hamilton Medical Center Now Offering Highly Advanced Robotic-Arm Assisted Joint Procedures

September 18, 2020
Mako surgical robot

Hamilton Medical Center (HMC) recently began using an innovative robotic technology that allows surgeons to personalize total knee and total hip replacement procedures. HMC is the only hospital in Northwest Georgia using this technology.

The highly advanced robotic technology, Stryker’s Mako System, was designed to transform the way joint replacement surgery is performed, enabling surgeons to have a more predictable surgical experience with increased accuracy.

Mitchell Frix, MD
Mitchell Frix, MD

“With Mako, we can provide each patient with a personalized surgical experience based on their specific diagnosis and anatomy,” said Mitch Frix, MD, orthopedic surgeon. “Using a virtual 3D model, Mako allows surgeons to create each patient’s surgical plan pre-operatively before entering the operating room. During surgery, we can validate that plan and make any necessary adjustments while guiding the robotic-arm to execute that plan. It’s exciting to be able to offer this transformative technology across the joint replacement service line to perform total knee, total hip and partial knee replacements.”

The Mako Total Knee application is a knee replacement treatment option designed to relieve the pain caused by joint degeneration due to osteoarthritis. Through CT-based 3D modeling of bone anatomy, surgeons can use the Mako System to create a personalized surgical plan and identify the implant size, orientation and alignment based on each patient’s unique anatomy. The Mako System also enables surgeons to virtually modify the surgical plan during surgery.

The Mako Total Hip application is a treatment option for adults who suffer from degenerative joint disease of the hip. During surgery, the surgeon guides the robotic-arm during bone preparation to prepare the hip socket and position the implant according to the pre-determined surgical plan. 

Pamela Bennett had been having hip pain for approximately a year, and it had continued to get worse. She made an appointment with Frix who, after diagnostic tests, informed her that she needed total hip replacement and recommended the Mako total hip procedure.

Pam Bennett - surgical patient
Pam Bennett

Bennett – first Mako total hip replacement patient at HMC – had her surgery in mid-July. She was scheduled for an early morning surgery.

Bennett was scheduled for an early morning surgery. She was walking within a couple of hours after surgery with the assistance of her nursing and physical therapy staff. She went home in the afternoon on the same day of her surgery.

“The whole process was great,” Bennett said. “From the time we walked in the door, everything was seamless, and I felt very safe. Everybody was wearing a mask and following all the safety procedures.”

Judean Guinn, director of Surgical Services
Judean Guinn, director of Surgical Services

Bennett has continued her physical therapy at Bradley Whiteside Rehabilitation and says her recovery has been great.

“We’re excited to be offering this highly advanced technology in our area,” said Judean Guinn, director of Surgical Services. “It’s another example of Hamilton’s commitment to providing excellent healthcare.”


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Filed Under: Excellence at Hamilton, Health & Wellness, News Tagged With: frix, hamilton health care system, judean, replacement, surgery

Hamilton’s Anna Shaw Children’s Institute Building Receives Award for Best Design, Architecture

June 19, 2019

Hamilton’s Anna Shaw Children’s Institute building 
receives award for best design, architecture
Pictured with the Anna Shaw Children’s Institute in the background are some of the staff members at the facility.

Healthcare Design (HCD) recently announced the winners and finalists of its 2019 Healthcare Design Showcase awards program. The Anna Shaw Children’s Institute (Hamilton Health Care System) will receive the Award of Merit (highest award) at the HCD Expo & Conference in New Orleans this November. The Healthcare Design Expo & Conference is the industry’s best-attended event focusing on design for healthcare.

HCD is a magazine that serves an audience of architects, interior designers, hospital administrators, facility managers, engineers and key members of the construction community as the premier source of insight, information and inspiration for planning, designing and constructing new or renovated healthcare facilities. Through various channels – magazine, website, events and social media – the magazine actively engages that community.

The Healthcare Design Showcase awards program is in its 19th year of honoring the best design and architecture in the healthcare industry.

The building, which opened April 1, was designed by Earl Swensson Associates (ESa).

“We absolutely love our building – the look, the atmosphere, the windows, the wall vinyls and all of the other details!” said Terri Woodruff, executive director. “The medical elements are hidden in the forest design so that, to the children, it looks like a treehouse in the forest. The wayfinding is working just as we had planned, and the children walk in and begin playing and exploring. They are calm and playful. The anxieties that can occur at a typical doctor’s office are just not present.”

Hamilton’s Anna Shaw Children’s Institute Building Receives Award for Best Design, ArchitectureDedicated to the memory of local philanthropist Anna Sue Shaw, the Institute is an advocate for the care of children who are experiencing the challenges of autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or developmental delays.

 

With design elements inspired by the style of a tree house, the Institute was designed to be considerate of children’s differing abilities to tolerate light, sound and texture.  The Institute provides a unique environment with the overall goal to blend calming color and fun play for children of all abilities.

 

The structure’s roof line and design are patterned after a tree house.  The outside of the building pulls together the elements of glass, wood and mountain stone in a color palette of browns, greens and blues to reflect the beauty of the North Georgia mountains.  The walls of windows provide for natural light to warmly flow into the interior of the building.

 

The room designs include forest animals, birds or butterflies Each of the rooms has dimmable lights.  Some unique areas for care include the Swan Room, an aquatic therapy room for children with a swim tank. The Oriole room is used for occupational therapy. Feeding therapy can take place in the Finch or Falcon rooms in a booth that mimics dining out.  Children can participate in speech therapy in the Sparrow or the Seagull rooms.

 

Hamilton’s Anna Shaw Children’s Institute Building Receives Award for Best Design, ArchitectureChildren can receive physical or occupational therapy in the Tree House Gym, a large 2,900-square-foot gym with colorful patterns on the floor, an adaptive climbing wall, an indoor slide and a fun track in the middle of the room. During pleasant weather, therapy can be enjoyed outside in the Treehouse Terrace, an outdoor therapy area with a roller slide, a spinning chair, adaptive pull up bars, a sensory wave and a fun set on tympani drums.

 

“Our care team continually comments on the ease of the workflow due to the design,” said Woodruff. “ESa did a stellar job!”


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Filed Under: Anna Shaw Children's Institute, Excellence at Hamilton, News Tagged With: anna shaw, anna shaw children's institute, art, award, awards, hamilton health care system

Hamilton Health Care System Names Chief Medical Officer

June 12, 2019

Hamilton Health Care System Names Chief Medical Officer - Andrew Bland, MDHamilton Health Care System (HHCS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew C. Bland, MD, to the position of vice president and chief medical officer.

Bland comes to Hamilton from The Joint Commission (TJC) where he was the medical director for the Division of Healthcare Quality Evaluation. TJC accredits and certifies health care organizations and is recognized nationwide as the symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting specified performance standards.

Prior to his role with TJC, Bland was with Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) in Illinois, a 15-hospital system where he served as chief quality officer and chief medical officer among other duties. Additionally, Bland was the assistant dean for Faculty Development and associate professor of medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria before joining HSHS.

Bland completed his undergraduate studies in cell and structural biology at the University of Illinois College of Liberal Arts in Champaign, Ill. He then graduated with honors and was a James Scholar while obtaining his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria, Ill. Bland completed combined residencies in internal medicine and pediatrics at St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, followed by a fellowship in Nephrology at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Nephrology. In addition to his extensive medical and clinical background, Bland holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst as well as a Masters of Predictive Analytics from Northwestern University in Chicago.

“Dr. Bland joins Hamilton’s long-standing commitment and dedication to providing the highest quality healthcare for the communities we serve,” said Jeff Myers, chief executive officer and president of Hamilton Health Care System. “We are pleased to have Andy join our leadership as we continue to grow and expand our services. The unique skillset which he brings to the team, including a diverse and extensive background in clinical practice, quality and healthcare business management, will be a significant asset to furthering the objectives of our quality, safety and strategic development initiatives.”

Bland and his wife, Angela, say they are excited to be relocating to the area and are looking forward to becoming an active part of the local community.

With locations across four counties in northwest Georgia, Hamilton Health Care System is a not for profit, fully united system of care. Known for its advanced care and personalized service, Hamilton Health Care System offers innovative treatment options in state-of-the-art facilities while maintaining a compassionate, friendly and tranquil healing environment. The most recent addition of the system, which opened April 1, is the Anna Shaw Children’s Institute, providing care for children who are experiencing the challenges of autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or developmental delays.

The Dalton-based flagship of the system, Hamilton Medical Center (HMC), is a 282-bed regional acute-care hospital that offers major medical, surgical and diagnostic services, including award-winning, accredited stroke and chest pain centers. Peeples Cancer Institute, which will provide cancer care under one roof, will open in the fall of this year.

HMC was recently named a Top Hospital by Georgia Trend Magazine. Additionally, CareChex® has ranked Hamilton Medical Center in the top 10 percent in the nation in seven categories for 2018. In the Medical Excellence group, the recognized categories include: Overall Hospital Care, Overall Medical Care, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Orthopedic Care. In the Patient Safety group, the recognized categories included Cancer Care, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Pneumonia Care.

 


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Filed Under: Excellence at Hamilton, Hamilton Cancer Updates, Health & Wellness, News, Welcome to Hamilton Tagged With: chief medical officer, cmo, hamilton health care system, joint commission, leadership

Hamilton Health Care System Names Hamilton Hero Recipients

June 6, 2019

Hamilton Medical Center Names Hamilton Hero RecipientsChad Edwards, MD, Hamilton Physician Group (HPG) – General Surgery; Juan Gonzalez, MD, HPG – Neurology; and Josh Hare, DO, HPG – Neurosurgery and Spine; recently received the Hamilton Hero Award for displaying an extraordinary commitment to the values of Hamilton Health Care System during life-saving events.

 

Several Hamilton staff members along with Gonzalez and Edwards were eating dinner at a local restaurant.

 

A man got up from his table and appeared to be sneezing until his wife got up from the table and ran over to him. The man had a napkin to his mouth and was bent over. Gonzalez was informed that the man was choking. While he and Edwards were running over to the man, the restaurant owner saw what was going on and attempted the Heimlich maneuver without success. Edwards immediately started assessing the situation, while Gonzalez grabbed the man and started the Heimlich maneuver. After about three attempts, the food was dislodged.

 

Hamilton Medical Center Names Hamilton Hero RecipientsHare was playing basketball with his usual teammates at Bradley Wellness Center. A fellow teammate started to show signs of a heart attack, and Hare stepped in immediately to assist. He attached the AED and placed oxygen on the man.  While waiting for emergency personnel, Hare talked the man through the situation, reassuring him that he was going to be alright.

“Immediately stepping in to assist in an emergency situation while off duty shows the type of people they are,” said Jason Hopkins, Human Resources director. “We’re very appreciative of their service on and off the clock.”


Hamilton Physician Group – Primary Care

Calhoun Primary Care
Murray
Campus
Catoosa Campus
Primary Care Dalton

 


Filed Under: Excellence at Hamilton, Hamilton Heroes, Heart of Hamilton, News Tagged With: Bradley Wellness Center, edwards, gonzalez, hamilton health care system, Hamilton Hero, hare, heart attack, hero

Hamilton Health Care System Recognizes National Critical Care Month

May 27, 2019

Hamilton Health Care System has been celebrating National Critical Care Awareness and Recognition Month (NCCARM)Hamilton Health Care System has been celebrating National Critical Care Awareness and Recognition Month (NCCARM) in May. NCCARM honors those who care for patients in intensive care units who make a difference every day caring for patients and families in what is often their most vulnerable moments in life. Nearly 80 percent of all Americans will suffer, or know someone who is suffering, from a life-threatening illness or injury, requiring the support of providers in an intensive care unit. Hamilton Health Care System has an intensivist program as part of its intensive care units at Hamilton Medical Center. Intensivists have advanced training and experience in treating the critically ill patient. They take a comprehensive approach to caring for ICU patients and oversee the many decisions involved in the care of a critically ill patient and coordinate the services the patient may need, including those from specialists.

In the front, from left, are Dawn Holbrook, RN; Laura Priest, RN; Emily Everett, RN; and Jolynn Crabb, NP. In the back are Brandy Salazar, ICU clinical manager; Bambi Walker, RN; Maria Deal, NP; Elwyn Clark, DO; and Jennifer Ward, RN, clinical resource nurse.

Filed Under: Excellence at Hamilton, Health & Wellness, News Tagged With: critical care, excellence at Hamilton, hamilton health care system, patient care

Hamilton Hospice to Hold Spring Celebration of Life service

May 22, 2019

Hamilton Hospice to hold spring Celebration of Life service

Hamilton Hospice is inviting anyone who has lost a loved one to attend its spring Celebration of Life service at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 2. The event will be held at First Presbyterian Church of Dalton, 101 South Selvidge St. The service is held in honor of the loved ones cared for by Hamilton Hospice throughout the past several months, but is open to all those grieving a loss.

“This service is an opportunity to celebrate the lives of those we’ve lost and provide a place where family members and friends can share memories and find comfort,” said Megan Little, bereavement coordinator for Hamilton Hospice.

The service is designed to comfort and encourage family members and friends in attendance with words of encouragement, special music and a butterfly tribute.  At the conclusion of the service, each family is given a live butterfly and asked to join the hospice team for a butterfly release ceremony.

Families are encouraged to bring a framed photo of their loved one to display during the service.

The celebration of life service is sponsored by the Whitfield Healthcare Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Hamilton Health Care System, and held each spring and fall.

Serving Whitfield, Murray, Gordon, Catoosa, Walker and Dade counties, Hamilton Hospice is an accredited, not-for-profit program providing holistic care encompassing the individual’s physical, psychosocial and spiritual well-being. For more information, call Hamilton Hospice at 706-278-2848.

 


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Filed Under: Happening at Hamilton, News Tagged With: Bereavement, free, hamilton health care system, hospice

Hamilton Long Term Care Celebrates 
National Skilled Nursing Care Week

May 17, 2019

National Skilled Nursing Care Week - Hamilton Health Care System

Hamilton Health Care System’s Long Term Care facilities, including Regency Park Health and Rehabilitation, Wood Dale Health and Rehabilitation, Ridgewood Manor Health and Rehabilitation and Quinton Memorial Health and Rehabilitation, celebrated National Skilled Nursing Care Week (NSNCW), which runs from May 12 to 18. The theme for this year’s national observance, “Live Soulfully,” celebrates skilled nursing centers, their residents and staff, by showcasing how they achieve happy minds and healthy souls. Established by the American Health Care Association (AHCA) in 1967, NSNCW, formerly known as National Nursing Home Week, provides an opportunity for residents and their loved ones, staff, volunteers, and surrounding communities to acknowledge the role of skilled nursing care centers in caring for America’s seniors and individuals with disabilities.

National Skilled Nursing Care Week - Hamilton Health Care System

National Skilled Nursing Care Week - Hamilton Health Care System

National Skilled Nursing Care Week - Hamilton Health Care System

 


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Filed Under: Associate Recognition, Hamilton Long Term Care, News Tagged With: associate recognition, hamilton health care system, HLTC, home health, long term care, skilled nurses week

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